Fire-escape.



PATENTED OCT. 25, 1904. H. VIEREGG.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 2,1904.

N0 MODEL.

' A TTOHNE rs UNITED STATES Patented October 25, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY VIEREGG, OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TO HENRY A. SIEVERS, OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,355, dated October 25, 1904.

Application filed March 2, 1904:.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, HENRY VIEREGG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Grand Island, in the county of Hall and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to fire-escapes and admits of general use, but is of peculiar value in cases where it is desired to enable persons to escape singly and without assistance from any source by merely descending from a door or window.

My invention is in general terms somewhat similar to the invention described in my former patent, No. 7 08,846, dated September 9, 1902, for a fire-escape.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference inclicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing my fire-escape applied to a window. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section upon the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 and showing the fire-escape in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the pulley and brake mechanism, and Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the same.

The wall 1 is provided with a window or analogous opening 2, a hook 3 being secured firmly into the woodwork, as shown. A rope 4: is connected with the hook 3 and supports the mechanism of the fire-escape. A plate'or hook 5 is provided with a hole 6, in which the rope 4-. is tied. A back plate 7 is connected with a circular disk 8 by means of spacing-bolts 9 and 12 and a spacing-sector 12. Revoluble rolls 10 are journaled in the disk 8 and back plate 7 as indicated in Figs. 3 and 1. These rolls 10 are provided with necks 11, which prevent longitudinal movement of the roll relatively to its hearing. A rope or cord 13 is provided for the purpose of enabling the refugee to descend. A revoluble studshaft 14 is provided with a bar 15, connected rigidly thereto by means of a pin 16, passing centrally through the stub-shaft. The ends of this bar 15 are provided with slots 17, and connected with the outer or free ends of the bar 15 are .comparatively short levers 18, each provided with a portion or shank 18 these portions working freely in the respective slots 17 and being confined therein by means of pivot-pins 21. Upon the'outer or free end of each lever 18 is mounted aweight 19, secured rigidly thereto by means of screws 20, whereby the weights are rendered adjustable relatively to the levers. To adjust the weights, all that is necessary is to loosen the screws 20, move the weights slightly in either direction, and again tighten the screws. The

inner ends of the flattened shanks 18 are provided with shoes 22, which bear upon the cir-.

cumferential edge of the disk 8, said disk being provided With a bearingsurface for the purpose, as indicated more particularly in Fig. 3. A revoluble pulley 23 is provided with friction-webs 24: to prevent the rope from slipping. A rope 13 passes through the spacing-sector 12, the apertures admitting the rope serving as friction-holes.

The operation of my device is as follows: The refugee climbs out of the window 2 and grasps the rope 13, throwing his weight upon it. He thereupon descends to the ground at an ordinary rate of speed, the weights 19 being thrown outward by centrifugal force, so that the shoes 22 bear to a greater or less extent upon' the circumference or bearing-sur face of the disk 8. The friction of these shoes upon the bearing-surface mentioned checks the speed and renders the descent comparatively safe.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent In a fire-escape, the combination of a disk provided with a circumferential bearing-surface, a back plate disposed adjacent to said disk, spacing members connecting said disk and said back plate together, one of said spacing members being provided with frictionholes passing directly through the same, a revoluble member disposed intermediate of said disk and said back plate, a cord passing through said friction-holes and engaging said revoluble member, a stubshaft connected with said revoluble member, a longitudinal member mounted rigidly upon said stub-shaft and provided at its outer ends with slots, levers pivotall mounted Within said slots and movable relatively to said longitudinal member, said levers being provided With shoes adapted to engage the circumferential bearing-surfaee of said disk, and weights adjustably mounted upon said levers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this spee1heat1on 1n the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HENRY VIEREGG. Witnesses:

FPANK O. KUNZE, WILLIAM H. THOMPSON. 

